Gripping device



Filed Oct. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor A Homey Sept. 29, 1936. W 'J- NQVAK 2,055,942

GRIPPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 in @f um n Inventor A llorney Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED" PATENT olfrlcis.v

This invention relates to af'grippingd'evice which is mainly designed for `use with the rods,

tubing, and cables of well apparatus, but which of course can be used for other purposes. y"

The general object f the 'invention is to piroe vide a body carrying a number of 'gripping jaws and eccentric levers for i'noving the jaws into' gripping relation when the levers are moved in one direction and means whereby a movement of the object gripped by the jaws will open the jaws sufficiently to let the object move in one direction but movement in the opposite directionfof the ob`V ject will be prevented by the jawsbeing held in' gripping position by the levers. 145 A further object of the invention is to provide a jack or theV like, whereby'the device can be' moved to a position to cause the leversvtorelease and arrangement of the several 'parts to be here? inafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. f 25 In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in whichz 3 Figure l is a front View of the device showing the same held in raised position by a jack.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a rear view of the device with the parts broken away. 35 Figure 4 is a top plan view with the jack removed.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the body which carries the jaws and the levers.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the base member and the slotted uprights which guide the body in its vertical movement.

In these drawings, the numerals I and 2 indicate a pair of elongated base plates having a pair of holes therein, one adjacent each end thereof 45 which receives a sub-shaft 3, pins passing through holes adjacent the ends oi the shafts for holding the parts together and these pins of the plate 2 may be connected to a part of the device by a chain 5 and this plate 2 has a handle 0 6 connected thereto, so that by removing the pins, the plate can be removed by a pull on the handle.

Levers 'I have holes adjacent the inner ends through which the sub-shafts 3 pass, the inner end of each lever forming a rounded eccentric 55 8, the outer portion of each lever extending well beyond the end of the body formed of the'two plates; A pair of gripping jaws 9.are removably located in the central portion of the space -be-' tween Vthe two'plate's, and 'each jaw has an outer arcuate recess yI 0 therein for receiving the round- 5fed elktremities 8 as more clearlyshownl in Figure 3. 'Ihe'inner edge of each jaw formed with a substantially vsemi-circular groovey vI I ,"theY twb'Y grooves providing the space'for the object to be' gripped such as a pipe,"rod or other m'mbenand as will be seen when the outer portion of the levers 'I are raisedfthe eccentric parts 8 will' press the jaws together in gripping relation upon an object, but by swinging the levers downwardly the jaws can move apart out of gripping relation to the object; n l l By moving Vthe jawstoward each others that the recesses 'III will'disengagethe eccehtrics 8, the jaws vcan be lifted from the space between the two plates and in order to prevent mislayiri'g 'of 20 the'fjaws, I preierto attach -tliemv to one of the plates by tnechains |2."" j l Y' I-also provide aV base'- I3- which hasa centrally arranged notch I4 therein for the' passage off-the object to be gripped and adjacent the inner end of the notch, an upright I5 rises from the base, which is formed with a notch I6.

A vertically arranged member I'I is connected with the central part of the plate I and has the outwardly extending wings I8 at its lower 30 end, which forms spaces between themselves and the plate I, which spaces act as guiding means with the parts of the upright I 5 and said member I'I is provided with a reduced inner portion which passes through the slot I6. The upper part of the member is provided with a hole I9 and an outstanding lip 20 which is connected with an intermediate part of the member. The base I3 is provided with a recess 2| for receiving the reduced lower end of an upright 22V of a jack A, said 40 upright 22 being formed with a shoulder 23 and the lever 24 of the jack has a reduced end 25 for entering the hole I9.

As will be seen the body of the device which carries the levers and jaws is supported for vertical sliding movement by the upright of the base and the member I1. By use of the jack the said body can be lifted and held in lifted position, but when the jack is removed the body assumes a lower position, as shown in Figure 3, under the action of gravity and when in lowered position the outer ends of the levers 'I will engage the ends of the base I3 so that the levers are swung to position where their eccentrics 8 will force the jaws into gripping relation upon a pump rod B, a pipe or tube, or other object passing through the jaw.

Thus, with the parts in the position shown in Figure 3, the object B will be driven by the jaws, so that it cannot move downwardly but an upward pull on the object will lift the body away from the base so that the levers 1 will swing downwardly and thus the jaws will be released so that the object can be moved upwardly but it cannot be moved downwardly. By raising the body by the jack the object may be moved both downwardly and upwardly as the jaws will not grip the same.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:-

1. A gripping device of the class described comprising a body of hollow construction, a pair of levers pivoted to the end portions of the body adjacent their inner ends, with their outer ends projecting from the ends of the body, the inner ends -of the levers forming eccentrics, a pair of jaw members located in the body and having recessed portions engaged by the eccentric parts of the levers, whereby movement of the levers in one direction will move the jaw members into gripping relation with an object passing through the same.

2. A gripping device of the class described comprising a, hollow body, a pair of jaws therein having recesses in one side thereof, a pair of pivots passing through the body, one adjacent each end thereof and between which the jaws are located, a lever supported by each pivot, adjacent the inner ends of the lever, said inner end of each member formed o1' eccentrics for engagement in the recess in a. jaw, means for supporting the body for limited movement, such means including means for causing the levers to move the jaws in gripping position when the body is moved in one direction and to release the jaws, when the body is moved in an opposite direction.

3. A gripping device of the class described comprising a hollow body, a pair of jaws therein having recesses in one side thereof, a pair of pivots passing through the body, one adjacent each end thereof and between which the laws are located, a lever supported by each pivot, adjacent the inner ends of the lever, said inner end of each member formed of eccentrics for engagement in the recess in a jaw, means for supporting the body for limited movement, such means including means for causing the levers to move the jaws in gripping position when the body is moved in one direction and to release the jaws, when the body is moved in an opposite direction, and means for holding the body in position with the jaws released when desired.

4. A gripping device of the class described comprising a pair of plates, sub-shafts passing through the plates one adjacent each end thereof, levers having eccentric inner ends and openings adjacent said inner ends through which the shafts pass, a pair of removable jaws tting between the plates with their upper ends projecting therefrom, outer portions of the jaws having recesses for engagement by the eccentrics of the levers, and each jaw having a smooth gripping surface, said eccentric being movable out of said recesses so that one plate can be removed to permit an object to be placed between the jaws, a base having a notched upright, the body having a projecting part provided in said upright, said projecting part having a lip thereon and jack means for engaging the part of the base and said lip forlifting the body to place the jaws in inoperative position, the levers engaging a part of the base when the body is lowered to cause the eccentrics to move the jaws into gripping position.

WILLIAM JOHN NOVAK. 

